Custom-Made Performance Piece Is a Study in Reliability: Schwarz Overland Sport Review

I am always looking for my next knife because the knife world is forever changing and evolving. I constantly pay attention to trends and what’s making an impact out there. Though this is helpful in my job as a freelance writer who tests and reviews a bunch of knives, sometimes my wallet and I don’t agree on my choices. In the case of the Schwarz Knives Overland Sport, it’s not only a knife I wanted, but also one that I needed

I was also wicked responsible about the whole thing — having first seen the knife in June and waiting until November to pull the trigger. By that time, the pocket fixed-blade movement had solidified its place in the market, and I was ready to drink the Kool-Aid.

With an overall length of 6.6 inches, the Overland Sport wasn’t going to replace my pocket knife or the belt knife I wear when I am out and about on the trail. I saw it as an opportunity to add a utility knife to my everyday carry kit.

Sure, you might find it overkill to wear three knives (and a multitool) all at once, but in my active life, I’m honestly surprised this didn’t happen sooner. Then again, the pocket fixed-blade segment is still just ramping up — and in my opinion, the Overland Sport is leading the charge.

In short: The Schwarz Knives Overland Sport is a performance piece designed to work hard and fast. A picture of royalty in the pocket fixed-blade craze, it’s a shining example of what a smaller fixed-blade knife can do for you.

See how the Schwarz Knives Overland Sport stacks up to the competition in GearJunkie’s guide to the best pocket knives.

Design and Features

If you’ve heard of TJ Schwarz before, it’s because he’s made knives like the Overland Frame Lock, Straight Frame Lock, and Dextro Liner Lock for CRKT. As fantastic as those knives are, it’s the knives he’s selling on his site that go above and beyond expectations.

That said, if you want one of them, you’re going to have to wait. All of his knives are made to order. The trade-off is that you get to customize that knife to your liking. 

For my Overland Sport, I went with Stonewashed MagnaCut with OD Green G10 Scales. I buttoned that up with black screws and stainless collars as well as a sage green Kydex sheath. It took 4 weeks to get here, and by that time, I was chomping at the bit.

Modeled after Schwarz’s Overland fixed blade, it shares a lot of geometric similarities with the CRKT Overland Frame Lock. The Overland Sport is 6.6 inches of MagnaCut Steel wrapped in either G10 or Micarta.

MagnaCut is excellent EDC steel. It rates high in corrosion and abrasion resistance and is known for keeping a skin-popping edge for a long period of time.

A full, four-fingered fixed blade, the Overland Sport’s obvious ergonomics aid in both precision and utility work. The cant of the handle coupled with the upsweep of the modified Sheepsfoot blade makes it great for working on flat surfaces while keeping your hand comfortable and from fatiguing.

First Impressions

As my gateway to the pocket fixed-blade movement, I expected the Overland Sport to be small. However, nothing really prepares you for a fixed blade this size until it’s in your hands.

At 6.6 inches, it’s smaller than most of the desirable EDC folding knives on the market. This is what, in my opinion, makes it so utilitarian but also gives you an excuse to carry another knife. 

Schwarz makes his knives in his garage in Idaho. However, his garage has been converted into a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, allowing him to do some pretty epic stuff with his designs. One of those is his ability to add milled reliefs to the surface of his handle scales.

These cutouts improve the grip and overall feel of the knife. This isn’t unheard of with G10 or Micarta, but is uncommon, especially for someone “making knives in his garage.” I had a full machine shop at my disposal when I was making knives, and I never thought to mill out my G10 or Micarta handle scales. 

Overall, the Overland Sport feels more like the one knife you can rely on for everything in a jam than it does just another belt knife. The mix between precision and utility, I’m sure, will give rise to opportunities for using the knife. Wearing it on my left hip will give me an option to have a knife accessible to both hands.

In the Field

Within minutes of arrival, still cold from the box, I had a proper lanyard and custom Ultem bead on it and was out the door and into the woods. I purposely went with the stonewashed MagnaCut because I wanted to use the knife to make fires if need be. So, that’s what I did. I dug a little hole in the snow, put some twigs in a bundle, and tested it out. 

After a few days of hiking around and wearing the knife in the side pocket of my Carhartts, I added a drop clip to the Kydex sheath and began wearing it on my belt. The Overland Sport comes stock with an Ulticlip Slim. It’s a fantastic clip, but I’m just not a fan of it. I have a larger Ulticlip on my gun holster as well. They’re great until it’s really cold out or they just get jammed up. 

I also ordered a custom leather pocket/belt sheath from a leathersmith called Roac in Florida. He makes a sheath specifically for the Overland Sport to work with another knifemaker’s belt clip — the Mummert Clip.

I had to wait 8 weeks for that sheath, but it has proven to be the best solution for winter carry. Why? Even though I am not worried about the MagnaCut tarnishing, leather absorbs moisture. This keeps the knife dry on my hip or in my pocket. Kydex does not, so the factory sheath will be used in the warmer months.

In Conclusion

All in all, in the last 2 months, I have taken my Overland Sport everywhere. As I told you, it makes a great companion to your favorite ferro rod. But it can be so much more. For me, it has cut steak, sliced Christmas wrapping paper, opened a lot of Christmas gifts, and has been there for me on more than two dozen hikes.

I love the fit and feel of the knife in my hand and the ability to switch up my grip from doing utility work like trimming branches off my holly bushes and apple trees. It can do precision work like cutting out little wooden shapes for a puzzle that Santa brought my kids. I also like that there are different carry options.